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CoMMUnItY YoUth<br />
SpotLIGht on:<br />
Lauren Weigel<br />
By Renae Hoffmann Walker<br />
Lauren Weigel grew up in Bismarck, a<br />
daughter of Ken and Darlene and the<br />
middle child between Mac and Kendra.<br />
Nothing too extraordinary; just an<br />
ordinary kid.<br />
Then when she was eight, Lauren woke<br />
up not feeling well. She was nauseated and not<br />
speaking right. Her mother, a lab tech at a local<br />
clinic, called the family pediatrician.<br />
A CAT scan was ordered. There was unusual<br />
fluid build-up in one of the ventricles. Next<br />
came the MRI. By 5:30 p.m., Lauren’s world was<br />
forever changed when she was told she had a<br />
brain tumor.<br />
They traveled to Rochester, Minn., where<br />
Dr. Raffle did a biopsy. It went fine, but there<br />
wasn’t enough tissue so he had to go in again.<br />
Lauren became totally paralyzed on her right<br />
side after the second biopsy. It was determined<br />
the tumor was inoperable.<br />
Looking back, Lauren says, “I was kind of<br />
oblivious. I was eight; I did whatever my mom<br />
and dad said. I went in for surgery, not thinking<br />
I’d be paralyzed.”<br />
The tumor was in a difficult position to<br />
remove so radiation was the choice of treatment.<br />
Lauren spent time in rehab to help her right side<br />
work again. It took a year or two, but she says, “I<br />
was optimistic.”<br />
Then a miracle happened. When Lauren was<br />
12, Dr. Raffle decided to try to remove the tumor.<br />
So far so good, Lauren is cancer-free and loving it.<br />
She says, “Cancer has made me appreciate<br />
every day and not afraid to try things. I was<br />
involved in Central Dakota Children’s Choir, the St.<br />
Mary’s jazz and concert choirs and several clubs.”<br />
But her biggest accomplishment is starting<br />
the Dakota Kids Cancer Ride in N.D., with the<br />
help of her parents, the Gold Wings motorcycle<br />
club chapter C and Open Road Honda.<br />
COMMUNITY YOUTH |<br />
This year’s bike ride was August 30 at Dakota<br />
Speedway in Mandan. Proceeds went to pediatric<br />
brain tumor research and medical costs of local<br />
families. To learn more, call 701-663-4023 or<br />
visit www.dakotakidscr.com.<br />
Lauren went to Rome this summer for the<br />
trip of a lifetime. She ate lots of pasta and knelt<br />
on the stairs where Jesus walked to be crucified.<br />
She’s just starting her first job at an assisted-living<br />
home and will attend the University of Mary this<br />
fall, where she will major in occupational therapy<br />
so she can help others like herself.<br />
September 2009 31
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